Recent media attention focuses on extensive reporting of vitamin D deficiency. Research indicates that up to 40% of the US population is vitamin D deficiency. To my surprise, I fall into an insufficient category. If I happen to myself as a nurse or wellness advocate, that can happen to anyone! Symptoms are ambiguous, so often unchecked. The result of not being detected is amazing. Researchers are now learning that vitamin D plays an essential role in preventing and / or contributing to many diseases and symptoms such as:
- Osteoporosis
- Heart disease
- Stroke
- Diabetes
- Autoimmune disease
- depression
- Cancer
- Diabetes
- Chronic fatigue
- Fibromyalgia
- Obesity
Sunshine vitamin
If you have so many kinds of vitamins, minerals and nutrients, understanding each can be confusing. Vitamin D is unique as it is a vitamin and a hormone. Sometimes called "Sunshine Vitamin", vitamin D is produced when exposed directly to ultraviolet rays of natural sunlight. This does not happen when sunlight passes through the glass or when you are sunburning.
Vitamin D is found in two forms, mainly vitamin D 2 or ergocalciferol (found in food), vitamin D 3 or cholecalciferol (produced by the sun). Muscles need to move vitamin D, nerves need to convey messages between the brain and the body. I will explain why such a drawback causes muscle pain and weakness and causes nerve pain.
Calcium-vitamin D-magnesium binding
Balance of vitamin D, calcium, magnesium is necessary for optimum absorption. Magnesium is necessary to convert vitamin D to active form in blood. Even if Vitamin D is supplemented, if it is not supplemented with magnesium, it may lead to magnesium deficiency.
Vitamin D is essential for strong bones because the body helps to use calcium from the diet. It helps to maintain calcium and potassium levels in the body by promoting absorption. Without enough vitamin D, the body can not absorb calcium and calcium supplements are wasted. Since vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, in order to be adequately absorbed it must be eaten with fat.
In the pleasant sun
The most common cause of vitamin D deficiency is that you do not get enough direct sunlight. Variables such as season, time, latitude, air pollution, cloud cover, sunscreen, lack of skin exposure, skin color, age, etc. all affect skin vitamin D productivity. Unreliable information sources
The risk of skin cancer reduces the time people spend overlooking during the day, increases the use of sunscreen and blocks the harmful and beneficial effects of the sun. Even weak sunscreens such as SPF-8 can block up to 95% vitamin D production capacity of the body.
Although moderation is the key, some suns are essential to health, but they may be too harmful. The most common recommendation of a doctor is to give sunscreen (without sunscreen) to your arms and legs every day for 10-15 minutes. It is recommended that you apply sunscreen or obscure it if left for extended periods of time.
Vitamin D in food
You can get vitamin D from your diet, but it is nearly impossible to get enough. In order to take a minimum meal, it is necessary to drink 10 cups of Vitamin D reinforced milk every day. Vitamin D rich foods such as egg yolk, salmon, mackerel, tuna, sardines, cod liver oil, soybean, seaweed, broccoli, mustard, molasses, sugar, legumes, beans, almonds, oranges etc. It is often not consumed in an amount. Including these vitamin D-rich foods in your daily diet, when exposed to adequate sunshine helps to prevent shortage.
Contribution of risk factor
- Crohn's disease, cystic fibrosis, celiac disease and colitis
- Renal disease or liver disorder
- Large or obese, BMI> 30
- Specific medicines
- Magnesium deficiency
- Low cholesterol level
- Very low fat meal
- Very dark skin
- Living far away from the equator
- 50 years and over
Incidentally, Senior citizens Vitamin D is because the ability of kidney to convert vitamin D to active form is low as people age, because it tends to be short in outdoor dosing time and tend to fail to meet needs by nutrition. The Institute of Medicine recommends how much vitamin D and calcium people should get based on bone health.
Vitamin D recommendations
- Adult <69 to 600 IU / day
- Adults> 70 to 800 IU / day
- Vitamin D DV (daily value) is currently set to 400 IU by the FDA. It is recommended - less than 600 IU.
- "Endurable upper limit" - 4000 IU "or the maximum amount that can be used safely everyday.
However, many researchers believe that this is still too low, and it is not enough to deal with the reported shortcomings of chronic vitamin D. In the practice guidelines of the endocrine society, recommendations for evaluation, treatment, and prevention of vitamin D are published (the upper limit is 10,000 IU / day).
Vitamin D deficiency may be reversed, but if shortage requires simple blood test. Ask your doctor to test your level to see if vitamin D is missing. With this knowledge, you can start appropriate supplements and sun exposure strategies to recreate an important source of the body.
